The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-29
PRISON REFORM.
A Talk With Rev. w. A. Pratt, Who is Study
ing Prison Statistics.
His Views on Crime and Criminals-What he
Saw at Anamosa-Social Demands.

Learning that Rev. W. A. Pratt, of
Cedar Rapids, had been recently visit
ing the Anamosa penitentiary for the
purpose of gathering some facts rela-
tive to the habits, mental culture, So
cial state and religious education of the
inmates, for use in a lecture upon the
criminal class, reporter called up
on him at his study, and the following
interview was the result. We quote
the Cedar Rapids Republican:
Tell us something about your visit, :"
said the reporter.
ITO the warden, Capt. Barr, and the
chaplain, Rev. W. G. Gum, l am under
great obligations for their kindness in
conducting us through the institution
and answering the many questions we
propounded about the inmates. More
than 800 are now confined within the
walls. The exact figures are, think,
302, of which 300 are males and twelve
females. Forty-eight were admitted
during the quarter ending June 80.
While all ages are represented, the WIS.,
itor can not fail to be struck with the
youthfulness of large number of the
convicts. Indeed, 1 was told by the
prison officials that the average age of
the inmates was less than thirty years."
From what class in society have
these criminals come ?''
"From all classes. The merchant,
the mechanic, the professional man are
there; but by far the largest number
has been gathered from the ranks of
those who are compelled to earn their
daily bread without trade upon which
they can depend. The laborers there
are many. The skilled mechanics are
few"
care there men born criminals or
are they made so by society?"
''Both. There are men who came
into the world with depraved organi-
cation, while there are others who are
made so by the injustice of society. OF
course, /, as Universalist minister,
have no faith in that theory of total de-
pravity which has been so popular with
some sects in the religious world. If
these convicts come into the world to-
tally depraved, wholly inclined, as the
Westminster Confession says, to all
evil-why the visitor at Anamosa sees
man in his natural state. His crime
may be heinous-but poor fellow he
can't help it. When say the criminal
comes into the world depraved, mean
that he has inherited tendencies to evil.
They come down out of the great past
and overshadow him. A hundred years
ago or more there lived in the northern
part of New York, family of five
girls, known by the name of Jukes. The
history of their descendants has been
carefully looked into. OF the 200 al
lied by blood or marriage, $50 were
paupers, 140 were convicts in Jail, so
were habitual thieves, 7 were senten-
ced for murder. New York lost from
this one family more than 81 ,OOO, 900.
This illustrates what is meant by her.
edity. But do not put me down as en-
dorsing that practical fatalism which
afIirms that human character is doomed
by heredity and environment. All the
evil, degrading influences of an evil
birth have again and again been over
come by the helping agencies of Chris
tian love. take it, however, that the
great majority of criminals are not born
bad, but that they are bad. Why, most
of the criminals that are confined in the
Anamosa penitentiary, or have been in
fact, heretofore confined, have come
from Christian homes"
"Can you not give some facts bearing
upon the religious education of the in
mates ?"
Eyes, for 1 carefully searched the
prison records. found that since the
Anamosa penitentiary was established
that it had received nearly 1900 ins
mates. All but about $50 claimed to
have received religious education. In
the fourteen years Of its history it has
received between three and four hun
bred who were educated in the Catho-
lie faith. About the same number al
so, who were given a religious educa-
ton in Methodist homes. The Presby-
terians come next, then the Baptists.
The Universalist church has had nine
representatives at Anamosa and six
teen at Fort Madison, total of twenty
five in nearly forty years."
'Do you maintain that these figures
prove anything as to the tendencies of
different systems of religious doctrine?"
II maintain this, that they disprove
the claim oftentimes so confidently |
made, that the fear of hell torments |
will restrain men from crime. No |
church has preached it more strongly
than the Catholic; no church sends SO
many of her followers to the prison
cell. To the Universalist church they
also have a value. They disprove the
charge often made against it that its
are immoral in their tendency. j